African National Lottery is switching to digital computerised draws?!

Starting 8th September Ithuba will show new type of live lottery draws. There will be many animated "show" elements, but players are concerned about something else. This change is not only about visual draws appearance in TV.

Ithuba is changing live lottery draws

Since 1999 draws were conducted using typical machines and balls. But now we say goodbye to them as new format is presented. Lotto and Powerball draws will be just an animation usig CGI. Numbers will be chosen by a RNG - random number generator.

Numbers will be selected, or rather randomly generated after sales close. They will be aired 30 minutes later. Conclusion is - no more live draw..

The PowerBall and PowerBall PLUS draw will be broadcast on e.tv, Tuesdays and Fridays at 9pm. The LOTTO, LOTTO PLUS 1 and LOTTO PLUS 2 draw will be broadcast on SABC 2, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:56pm

You can take a pick at new show as Ithuba presented this promotional video:

Pros and Cons of Computerised Draws

To conduct lottery draw using computer you need a very good number generator. So the question is what type of generator will Ithuba use?

Another problem is thatevery computer system can be rigged. You canno tell this about mechanical draws, as we are used to. This consist of machines and ball, that can't be rigged. Actually digital draw wasrigged once, in America.

We understand why Ithuba switches to computer draws - they are faster, neat nad clean. However this type of draws can be hardly accepted by players.

Computerised draw was rigged once in USA

Tom Tipton successfully rigged US lottery called Hot Lotto. He, as security worker managed to enter the lottery computer and change the results for his numbers. After a long trial he was sentenced for prison. Now, nobody likes computer draws.